California Gurls 2
by ijs.forever13
Summary: Gabriella and Troy have finally moved in together, renting out an apartment. Gabriella has become a full-time employee of a major law firm and Troy was in the business degree. When Troy leaves to go on a business trip, will he continue to be faithful to Gabriella and eventually propose? Or will he go back to his womanizing ways?
1. Chapter 1

Gabriella Montez entered the building of the major law firm called: Jensen & Co. She walked into the office where three desks were located. It was a beautiful office with desks made of- "Mahogany." A man's voice rang out as she turned around, startled. She was met with a pair of piercing blue eyes. She looked at the man's full profile, seeing that he had jet black hair and only towered a few inches over her. "They're made of mahogany if you were wondering." he smiled. Even his smile was just as marvelous as the rest of him. He was wearing a light grey business suit, practical white long-sleeved shirt, and a red tie. Gabriella looked at the tie and her immediate thought was that it wasn't his color.

The man pulled a hand out of his pockets and held it out to her. "Ethan Jensen." Ethan smiled as she reached out and shook his hand. Gabriella recognized the last name and figured that he owned the company. "Gabriella-"

"Montez." Ethan finished for her as they shook hands. "I read your resume. Very impressive I must say. I'm glad I could finally work with you. Let me give you a tour." He pulled his hand away and showed her in the direction of the door. Gabriella just nodded as he opened the door for her and walked out of the office. While they walked down the hallway, Ethan explained to her all the different types of rooms throughout the building. "We will be working with different kinds of cases." he said and listed all the range of cases that they come across. We arrived back in front of the entrance of his office. "If you need me, I'll be here in my office. It was nice meeting Miss Montez." With that being said, he entered his office and the door closed behind him.

Gabriella just stood in awe after he entered his office. His smooth-talking and good looks overwhelmed her. She simply shook her head, trying to get the slightly disturbing image out of her mind. She couldn't deal with any attachments other than Troy. She went back into her office and saw two new faces. "I'm Alexa Carlton and this is Josh Bradley." Alexa Carlton was a red-head with bright green eyes and light freckles on her face. Josh Bradley was a blonde haired man with bright blue eyes, reminding Gabriella of her best friend, Ryan. "Gabriella Montez." Gabriella smiled, shaking hands with both Alexa and Josh.

"Hope you didn't run into Ethan Jensen." Josh said. Gabriella didn't say a word and the other two knew that it was too late. "He is bad news. Trust me." Alexa said. Gabriella didn't want to question Alexa just yet about Ethan, but eventually she was going to have to later. Throughout the rest of the day, Gabriella had worked through tons of paperwork. It was definitely a load, but she managed to get through most of them. They had rolled right into lunch and before she knew it, Alexa and Josh were asking her if she'd like to get lunch with them. Gabriella agreed and walked out of the office, then to the lounge.

"He's not going to be a problem." Gabriella said, sitting down at the table with her colleagues. "I have a boyfriend." After work, Gabriella drove to the apartment that she shared with Troy Bolton. Troy was working for a business company, instead of being a basketball coach like his dad. "Hey babe, how was your first day?" Troy asked, kissing her on the lips. She kissed him back and smiled, kissing him back. "It wasn't too bad." she replied, but she knew what she was diving into. "How about you?"

He shrugged, "Same." Gabriella and Troy have been living in California for five years. Even though their friends weren't living in the same state as they were, they all still kept in contact with each other. "Let's go out for dinner." he smiled. Gabriella was just about to ask for what the occasion was until her phone began to ring. She picked up and answered, "Hello?"

"Hey Gabs, it's Kelsi." Kelsi Nielsen had been staying in New York with Ryan Evans. They also had shared an apartment together. "Hey Kels. What's up?" Gabriella asked her best friend, walking out to Troy's car. "Ryan and I are coming out to see you guys this weekend. Do you have any plans?" Kelsi asked. Gabriella glanced over at Troy after she got in the car and buckled herself in. "No, no plans at all. I'm glad you two are coming out see us. We really miss you guys. Tell Ry I say hi." Gabriella said. The two girls talked for another few minutes before hanging up. Gabriella told Troy that Kelsi had called mentioning that she and Ryan were going to come visit for the weekend. Troy parked his car in front of the restaurant and they went inside. They were seated at a table. The two looked over the menus, seeing that everything was reasonably priced. They ordered the food and drinks, then immersed into conversation about their first day of work.

. . .

The next morning, Troy arrived at work and sat down in his cubicle. Just like everyone else, he had to start from the bottom and make his way to the top. "Hey Troy, can you do me a favor?" Loraine Taylor was Troy's boss. She had long curly blonde hair and hazel eyes. Troy nodded, "Yeah sure." Loraine smiled and handed him a folder, telling him to copy the papers that had a red tab on them and shred those with the green tab. "Hope that's simple enough for you." she added. Troy took the folder from her and went into the copy room. He did the task that he was told and then dropped the folder off on her desk. "Anything else you need me to do Ms. Taylor?" he asked her before he walked out of her office. Loraine looked up from her paperwork and smiled, "I will page you if I need you. Thank you." Troy smiled and gave a small nod, then left her office.

Until lunch, Troy had been running errands for Loraine but he didn't mind. Loraine was happy for someone who could be so willing to do everything when asked. She never had an employee so loyal before. Finally it was their lunch break and Troy was on his way to the lounge when he heard Loraine call out his name. "Come join me for lunch. We need to talk about your… priorities." Loraine had grown a liking to Troy, even though it was his second day at work. Troy glanced over at the friends he had made and then looked back at her. "Yes ma'am." he said, then followed her out to the parking garage. They got in her car and drove to the nearest cafe. They sat down at a table outside the cafe. "Don't call me ma'am or Ms. Taylor. Call me Loraine." she said.

"I have a feeling that you didn't ask me to join you for lunch to talk about my priorities." Troy said.

"You're most certainly correct. I didn't want any of the other employees to overhear our conversation, but I like you. You're a wonderful addition to our business. You're hardworking, loyal. You have all the qualities of a true business man. I know it's too soon to tell, but I can see that you have potential in the near future. Maybe one day you'll be working with the big guys and girl." she added with a smirk. In a lot of ways, Loraine reminded Troy of Sharpay but he let it go. "I know it's a lot to sink it Troy, but I do enjoy working with you."

"I like working for you Ms. Tay-uh, I mean Loraine." he said.

. . .

Gabriella was just about finished with her paperwork and was just walking down the hallway when she ran into Ethan. It was 5pm and most of the employees were going home. "Miss Montez, I've been meaning to talk to you." Ethan smiled. "Are you available for dinner?" Gabriella was just about to decline, but when she looked into his eyes, she couldn't really say much. She shook her head in reply. "Great." He led her out to his car, but was about to mention that her car was in the parking lot. "Oh don't worry about your car. I'll have someone drive it to your apartment." he added. The two of them got in his car and he drove to a local restaurant. For a guy to own a law firm, she expected to be taking to a more… fancy place. "This seems like a nice place." she said as they got out of the car.

Ethan shrugged, "My dad took my mom here on their first date. I'm not saying that this is… our first date, unless you want it to be. I mean, it's okay if we're just here strictly because of business." Gabriella couldn't imagine anything being business with Ethan. Besides the suit and tie, she could sense that there was a real person underneath that harsh exterior. Ethan opened the door as she thanked him upon entering the restaurant. They were led to a table and given menus as soon as they sat down. "I wasn't sure if you were going to agree to come to dinner with me. I know it's only the second day of you being at the law firm, but I am starting to… to enjoy your company." he said. "It's been a while since I've seen the light of day."

Gabriella wondered if he was setting up for a serious conversation with her. She barely knew her own boss. "I'm glad you joined our law firm. You're a great addition." he smiled. As soon as they placed their order and their food was brought out, they were immersed in deep conversation. Gabriella found herself laughing at every joke that Ethan had said. After dinner, they got into Ethan's car and drove off down the street to Gabriella's apartment. Ethan parked the car in front of the apartment. "See you tomorrow Gabriella." he smiled.

"See you tomorrow Mr. Jensen." she smiled.

"No please, call me Ethan." Gabriella nodded and then got out of his car. She entered her apartment as soon as he drove away and was confronted by Troy. "Who was that?"


	2. Chapter 2

Gabriella didn't expect for Troy to be waiting for her. She noticed that he had already eaten dinner because she had a feeling that he was impatient waiting for her. "It was no one." she replied. Troy crossed his arms over his chest, raising an eyebrow. Of course Troy didn't believe her. Gabriella sighed and told Troy that he had nothing to worry about. She had a talk with her boss that was only strictly business, nothing else. "I love you Troy. I'm not going to leave you for anyone else." She gave Troy a kiss on the cheek and then headed into their room.

The next morning, Troy went to work and sat down in his cubicle. "How was your talk with Ms. Taylor?" Chris Hansen, a man who worked with Troy on the same floor. "What did you two talk about?" Daniel Greyson, another man asked. Troy didn't want to spill on any details to his co-workers. He didn't want to tell them what Loraine told him. He believed that she seemed to favor him above the other workers. "Nothing really important." Troy replied. Chris and Daniel looked at each other, then at Troy. "Nothing important, huh?" Chris asked with a raise of the eyebrow.

Loraine walked out of her office as Chris and Daniel walked away from Troy's cubicle. "Can you review these for me? Some of these are sports related." She handed Troy a stack of paper and then walked away from his desk. Troy did the work, but his thoughts were still on Gabriella and that mysterious guy who took her home. Troy was working late that evening and everyone had gone home. It was just him and Loraine. He could clearly see that the light was on in her office. He took the stack of paperwork that was finished and walked down the hallway to her office, knocking on the door. "Come in." He heard her call from inside the office.

Troy entered the office and handed her the finished paperwork. Loraine smiled, taking the paperwork from him. "Wait, stay awhile." she said, stopping Troy in his tracks as he was about to turn towards the door. She set the paperwork down on her desk, getting up from the seat. Troy knew that Loraine was a few years older than him, but she was a beautiful woman. "I really like you." she smiled, playing with his tie as she pulled him towards his direction. He swallowed and was suddenly pushed against the wall in her office. "There's no need to be nervous." she added, loosening the tie.

"Loraine, I really can't- This is wrong." he stammered. Loraine continued to take off his tie and smiled, "It's not like you're married."

"Are you married?" he asked her. Loraine let out a light chuckle, shaking her head. "This must be kept between you and I. Alright?" She leaned in and kissed Troy, unbuttoning his blazer and moved her hands underneath as she slipped it off. She began to kiss his neck, hearing him let out soft and quiet moans. Her hand trailed down to the hemline of his pants. Troy could hear the sound of his heart beating against his chest, so loud that he was afraid Loraine would hear it. Somehow, he had never been this nervous around a girl, a woman in fact.

Troy held her at arm's distance. "Loraine, this isn't allowed between the boss and the employee. We both know that." he said. "As much as I would like to continue, I can't. I-" He was going to hate saying this.

"You have a girlfriend?" she asked him. Troy looked at her confused, dropping his arms as she turned away from him. "Troy, I understand. But let me ask you something." She turned to face him while he picked up his blazer and tie. "Why do you think I hired you? If not for your good work ethics, I'd simply hire you for looks. You're a handsome young man, even better looking than the men I've dated. You shouldn't be tied to one girl. What is she? A doctor, a teacher, a-"

"She works for a law firm." Troy interrupted.

"Okay, a lawyer. Look, you seem like the kind of guy who never really _enjoyed_ being tied down to one girl. I was testing you. When I kissed you, you weren't reluctant to kiss back. Most would push me away _if_ they were loyal to their girlfriends. You and I both know that your girlfriend could be… I don't know, running around with some other guy. Maybe a co-worker. I'm going to leave it at that. Just think it over and get back to me." Loraine said. Troy walked out of her office and went to his car. He arrived at the apartment, parking his car outside and entered the house. "Where have you been?" Now it was Gabriella's turn to question Troy. She had already eaten dinner without him and was dressed for bed. "Got held up at work." he said. "Sorry." He gave her a kiss on the cheek, then walked into the bedroom.

Gabriella sensed that something wasn't right, but she didn't want to jump to any assumptions. She followed Troy into the bedroom, seeing that he had gone into the bathroom. She got into bed, then turned off the lights. She wanted to tell Troy about Ethan and the fact that he was only just her boss. There was nothing going on between she and Ethan.

That weekend, Gabriella picked up Ryan and Kelsi at the airport. She drove them back to the apartment where the three of them sat in the living room. "Where's Troy?" Kelsi asked. Gabriella told them that Troy was working only the morning shift. "It's a Saturday." Ryan said.

"I know Ry. He'll be back sometime after lunch." Gabriella reassured him. She silently hoped that Troy was going to come for lunch. Hours passed and still there was no sign of Troy, so the three of them went out to lunch at a restaurant. "Gabriella Montez?" Gabriella recognized the voice as soon as she and her friends were seated at a table. She turned towards the direction of the voice to see Ethan approach the table. Ethan smiled, "Funny running into you here."

Gabriella smiled, standing up as she greeted him with a warm hug. "It's good to see you too. Oh, Ethan. These are my best friends from high school: Kelsi Nielsen and Ryan Evans." She introduced her friends to Ethan as he shook hands with the two of them. "Mind if I join you?" he asked. Gabriella glanced at her friends, then at Ethan. "We were waiting for a friend of ours to show up." she replied.

"I'll only be here for a few minutes." he smiled. Gabriella couldn't resist and agreed to let Ethan join the three of them for a little while. It had already been an hour and the four of them were having a great time when Troy had shown up. "I have to go. I have a family meeting to go to. I'll see you Monday." Ethan said after checking his watch and Troy joined them at the table. "Sorry I'm late." he apologized.

"It's okay babe." Gabriella smiled.

"How've you been?" Ryan asked Troy.

"I've been good. Just been really busy lately." Troy said, running a hand through his hair. From the corner of Gabriella's eye, she knew that after having sex with Troy, he'd quickly fix his hair by running a hand through it. "Hey Kels, I have to ask your opinion about how I look." Gabriella said.

"You look fine." Kelsi smiled. Gabriella's eyes signaled in the direction of the bathroom as Kelsi gave a slow nod. "We'll be right back." Gabriella said, standing up and grabbed her purse as Kelsi followed behind. They entered the girls bathroom. "What's going on?" Kelsi asked.

"Troy ran a hand through his hair." Gabriella answered. Kelsi was confused and told Gabriella that she didn't comprehend. "He always does that after having sex."

"Really? I thought Troy's hair was always like that." Kelsi said.

"That's not the point Kels. I think Troy's cheating on me."

"With who?"

"I might have a clear guess, but I could be wrong. He's been working 'late' this entire week and I think it has something to do with his boss."

"Troy could be cheating on you with his boss? Gabriella-"

"Kels, it has to be."

"Let's ask him."

"He's not going to give us a direct answer. I don't know if it's true for sure, but I'm worried that he will cheat. I still feel like he hasn't had sex with whoever that woman is yet." Gabriella told Kelsi to keep their conversation a secret and to not inform Taylor about it. Both girls knew what their best friend, Taylor McKessie will say about Troy and his womanizing ways. The girls walked out of the bathroom and met up with the guys who already paid for the food and were now standing outside. Gabriella didn't want to question Troy just yet. She was going to wait for the right moment to strike.


	3. Chapter 3

When the weekend was over, Gabriella and Troy said good bye to their friends after dropping them off at the airport. Gabriella went to work the next day to find a vase full of flowers sitting upon her desk. "Ooh, looks like Mr. Bossman has a crush on Gabriella." Alexa smiled. Gabriella just rolled her eyes and saw that there was a card. She read the card and smiled. "It's not from Mr. Jensen." Gabriella said. "It's from Troy."

"Ah, your secret boyfriend you would never let us meet." Alexa said, then grabbed the card from Gabriella's hands. "He seems like a really nice guy."

"He is and romantic too." Gabriella gushed. Josh obviously didn't want any part of the conversation the girls were having. A knock came at the door and Ethan entered. "I see you've received the flowers." Ethan said. "They're lovely, just like you." Gabriella blushed a little, looking away.

"I need you to review this case for me Gabriella." He held out a folder towards her direction as she nodded, taking it from him. "You can drop it off in my office when you're done." With just that statement, he walked out of the room and closed the door behind them. "What was that all about?" Alexa asked as Gabriella sat down at her desk to review the case files.

"What was what all about?" Gabriella asked. Alexa rolled her eyes and said, "You know. He complemented you and you blushed like a high school girl. We both know you're crushing on him."

"I am not crushing on him." Gabriella had said those words a little too harshly, making Alexa think that she was into Ethan. "Whatever assumptions you may think between Eth- Mr. Jensen and I, they're not true." Alexa slowly nodded, catching on to a part of what could've been Ethan's name. She didn't say anything and resumed to doing her work. Throughout the entire day and even through lunch, Gabriella was having the hardest time trying to focus on her work. Her mind was clearly set on Ethan. She was wondering if he was sending her mixed signals about him liking her. She thought about the comment he had made on the flowers. His tone was sour, which led her to believe that he didn't like the flowers Troy had sent her or the idea that he didn't like competition.

She was also thinking about Troy. She sighed and finally finished the work before the office closed. She had an hour left to confront Ethan. She compiled the papers from the file and walked out of the office, carrying the folder in one arm. She knocked on the door and heard a faint 'come in' from the other side. She entered the office, closing the door behind her.

Ethan's office was a beautiful office with a large window facing the street. "Ah Gabriella, I was expecting you." Ethan smiled, turning around. He was looking out through the window with his hands in his pockets. He turned around, facing Gabriella. "I came to drop this off." she told him. Ethan looked at the folder and thanked her, taking the folder from her. He placed it on his desk, then licked his lips as he contemplated for a moment. "That man has a great taste in flowers." Ethan said. Gabriella nodded, but still didn't say a single word. "You know, I bet he doesn't have a great taste in jewelry." He pulled out a box from his pocket and handed it to Gabriella.

Gabriella looked at him as she took the box, then opened it to reveal a diamond bracelet. "I was looking through many, but this one- this one stood out above all the others." he said. "I hope it's not too much." Gabriella didn't know how to respond, but she just stared at the bracelet. She knew that if Troy saw this bracelet, he would be suspicious. "I'm speechless." she said.

"Here, let me put it on for you." he said as he took the bracelet out of the box, then latched it around her wrist. Gabriella just couldn't believe that Ethan had gone out of his way to buy her a bracelet. "Ethan, you didn't have-"

"I wanted to. Gabriella, I know guys like your boyfriend. Guys like him will not change." he interrupted. Gabriella shook her head, not wanting to hear anymore and walked out of the office. She had forgotten about the bracelet when she got in her car and drove to the apartment. She was relieved that Troy's car wasn't parked outside. She quickly took off her bracelet, putting it into her jewelry box and took out her cell phone. She dialed a number and waited. After two rings, someone picked up. "Sharpay, I need your help." she said into the phone.

. . .

Weeks have passed and Troy had piles of paper stacked on his desk. "Seems like _someone_ got on Ms. Taylor's bad side." Chris joked. Troy rolled his eyes, slightly shaking his head. "Mr. Hansen, you'll be on my bad side if I ever catch you socializing with Mr. Bolton again." Loraine appeared at Troy's desk out of nowhere. Chris nodded, then hurriedly walked away to his desk. "Troy, I came over here to inform you about a business trip. I'll email you the dates and you are to immediately book a flight once you get the email." Loraine walked away after telling Troy al the information. As soon as Troy had received the email, he booked his flight.

After work, Troy arrived home to find that Gabriella had left him a note on the kitchen counter. "Troy, went out to dinner with Alexa and Josh from work. I'll see you when I get back. Love you -G." Troy took a shower and by the time he was done, Gabriella walked in through the front door. "How was dinner?" he asked.

"It was a lot of fun." Gabriella smiled. Troy saw a bracelet around Gabriella's wrist. He furrowed his eyebrows and questioned her about the bracelet. "It was a gift." she simply replied, then walked into the bedroom. He followed her into the bedroom, closing the door behind him. "From who?" he asked. Gabriella took of her bracelet and set it in her jewelry box. "Just someone from work." she said.

"Who? Alexa? Josh? That guy that brought you home?"

"Troy, what are you going on about?"

"Gabriella, whoever is giving you those gifts, I demand to know."

"His name is Ethan Jensen. He's my boss. There's nothing-"

"Nothing going on. I get it, but that doesn't mean he has every right to give my _girlfriend_ expensive gifts." Troy was furious.

"Well, you haven't given me anything. You've never taken me out to dinner."

"Does he take you out to dinner?" Gabriella was silent went Troy asked the question as she shook her head, then slammed the bathroom door after entering. "Gabriella! Answer me!" He knocked on the door, but there were no sounds from the other side. Furious, Troy packed his bags and then went straight to bed without saying another word. Inside the bathroom, Gabriella was silently crying. Once the knocking on the door had stopped, she opened the door to see that Troy had packed his bags and was already in bed. She got into bed and faced away from Troy. She didn't know what their relationship had come to. All she wanted was to spend time with Troy, but he had been constantly working late.

The next morning, she rolled over to find that Troy and his packed bags were gone. A note was left on the pillow beside her. "Gone off on a business trip for two weeks. See you when I get back. -Troy" Gabriella couldn't believe that Troy had left without saying good bye. She got dressed for work and entered the office. She had passed Ethan on the way to her office, but there was no eye contact between them. "Everything okay Gabriella?" Alexa asked, seeing Gabriella sit down at her desk. A knock came at the door and Ethan entered. "Josh, I need you to view these cases." Ethan handed the files to Josh and then left the room.

Gabriella opened her email to see that Ethan had sent her a message. She opened it and read the email.

To: Gabriella Montez  
Subject: Dinner?  
From: Ethan Jensen

Gabriella,

I understand that it is wrong for us to be together because of the whole boss/employee rule. I also understand that you have a boyfriend and you don't wish to see me anymore after work, that's okay. I hope that we can still talk to each other as friends, if you're all right with that.

Ethan

Gabriella immediately replied to Ethan and then went back to doing her work. After work, Gabriella was working late while everyone had gone home. She was just about done when Ethan entered the office. "You shouldn't be working this much." Ethan said. "I bet your chair is uncomfortable."

"I don't mind." Gabriella said. "Working kind of de-stresses me." Ethan slightly shook his head, telling her that she was stubborn. He walked over behind her chair, then gently began rubbing her shoulders. It had been a while since Gabriella had gotten a shoulder rub. All she could picture in her mind was Troy giving her a shoulder rub while studying for exams in college. "I bet that feels really nice." Ethan smiled.

"Yeah, thanks. I really appreciate it Ethan." Gabriella said.

"No problem. Anything to make you feel comfortable. C'mon, how about I take you out for a nice dinner? Or maybe even just a walk along the beach?" he asked. Gabriella was hesitant to answer him, but she agreed to a walk along the beach. She grabbed her bag and got up from her seat, walking out with Ethan. They got in Ethan's car as he drove to the beach, parking the car in the lot. It was a beautiful evening, the sun was just barely starting to set. Gabriella took off her shoes, leaving them in the car and walked with Ethan down onto the soft sad.

"I used to come out here all the time before the work load started piling up." Ethan said. "I'd just come out here and let my thoughts wander. Most of the time I'd think about my mom before she passed away. You remind me of her. Sure, a workaholic, but she had this incredible smile and was friendly to everyone. My dad, before he became an alcoholic, and I used to play catch out here on the beach. Then my parents divorced and I lived with my mom until- you know. I didn't want to live with my dad and so I lived with my grandmother. You'd really like her. She was a sweet old lady. She, like my mother, was kind and so giving. She cared for people even if they weren't a part of her family.

"That all happened when I was thirteen. At eighteen, my grandmother passed away and I didn't want to live in her house. Of course, I couldn't afford it. I found a job and rented an apartment. I lived on my own and now, at age 27, I own a law firm and my dad's asking me to come live with him. Of course I declined. I never had a relationship that lasted longer than six months. I think it's safe to say that I've lived the single life for quite sometime now."

Gabriella listened to his story as they walked along the beach and in someways, she could relate to Ethan. "Have you told anyone else about your past?" she asked.

"Not too many I trust. Gabriella," he paused and faced her as she looked at him. "I told you my past because I trust you. I can see it in your eyes and that guy you're with should be lucky to have a girlfriend like you. He'd regret it if he let you go." Gabriella trusted Ethan as well, but she couldn't find the nerve to tell him about her past. She didn't know what else to do, but gave him a hug. "If you need me, I'll be right here as a friend." she said. Ethan wrapped his arms around her, embracing her in a hug and thanked her.


	4. Chapter 4

Troy arrived in New York, checking into a hotel. He took the key up to the floor of where the room was located and entered the room. A knock came at his door and he went to answer it. "Hope you don't mind if we share a room." Loraine smiled. Troy shook his head, telling her that he didn't mind as he stepped aside. Loraine entered the suite, suitcase in hand and Troy closed the door behind her. Loraine told Troy that they have to be at one of the company buildings in a hour. She asked for him to accompany her to have lunch before they go and Troy couldn't really decline the offer. With a quick change of clothing, Troy and Loraine got into a cab, taking them to a nearby cafe.

They sat down at the table and ordered their meals. It was a beautiful day in New York. The sun was shining and they were a few blocks away from Central Park. "It's good to be home." Loraine smiled. This was news to Troy. He hardly knew Loraine and she was beginning to talk about her life. "You lived here?" Troy asked her. Loraine, confused, asked Troy if she ever told him about the stories of when she was younger. Troy shook his head in reply and added the statement that she hardly spoke a word about her living in New York. "I've lived here for most of my life until after graduating college and moving to Los Angeles. We lived in the suburbs. My parents would take the subway to and from work.

"I would go to Central Park just to think about what it'd be like to live on the other side, the West Coast. I've always wanted to see what the sunset was like over there. I've never experienced it before. I had two siblings, both younger than me. You already have a small knowledge about my past relationships. I never had a serious relationship with anyone. I'm 27 years old, own a company, and yet, I have no one to share my success with.

"Troy, at first you seem like the kind of guy who'd date all these girls just to make you happy. I bet that you were, but I can see that you're a successful young man with a girlfriend and I'm not going to take that away from you. I know you have an intention to marry her. She must be the first girl you've had a serious relationship with." Loraine said.

"You're right. She is." Troy said. "But I feel like she's been seeing someone _else_." Loraine raised an eyebrow before taking a sip of her coffee. "You know what you should do. I've been in a lot of relationships, even though they're not serious. But coming from a girl's perspective, you have to buy a ring and take her out on a romantic date, then propose. She probably has a successful job and marriage may or may not be on her mind, but it won't hurt to try. If I were you, I'd wait for the right moment to ask her and that moment will come when you're ready, not when she is but you." Troy knew that Loraine was right about the marriage ordeal, but a part of him didn't want to settle down just yet. He was holding back from actually buying a ring and proposing to Gabriella. He was afraid of his "childish" ways to stop him from becoming responsible for his actions. Gabriella is the only girl that Troy has ever truly loved and been with. If he let his womanizing ways take over, he'd lose her to another guy.

. . .

That Saturday afternoon Gabriella received a call from Troy, but she didn't answer he phone. She had been out with Alexa and Josh all day. She didn't bother checking her phone. She saw that he had left her a voicemail and listened to the message. _"Gabriella, when you get this, please call me back. I'm sorry that I left without telling you where I had gone off to, but I'll tell you everything on the phone. I love_ you." Gabriella deleted the message and decided to call him back. She waited two rings until he picked up. "Hello?" She heard that Troy sounded tired over the phone.

"Hey, it's me." she smiled.

"Oh, hey. I'm really sorry about not telling you where I had gone off to. I'm in New York for a business trip."

"Oh, that's nice. I'm sorry I haven't been answering your calls. I've been hanging out with Alexa and Josh." And Ethan. She added silently, but she knew that Troy had already known without her saying a single word. "How's New York?" she asked.

"New York's been great. I wish you could come and see it with me." Gabriella knew Troy meant what he said and she smiled, telling him that she wished that she was with him. A knock came at her apartment door and she immediately told Troy that she'd call him back later that night. "I love you." she added before the two hung up. Gabriella went to the door and saw Ethan dressed in a blue suit. A smile spread across his face at the sight of Gabriella. "I just came out of a meeting with my dad. I know what you're going to say. I just want to prove to him I didn't end up unsuccessful like him. You look absolutely beautiful by the way." Ethan said.

Gabriella was wearing a strapless dress with flowers as the design. She thanked him as she grabbed her bag and walked out of her apartment, locking the door behind her. They got in his car and he drove her to a small local restaurant. He opened the door for her as she entered the restaurant, thanking him and he followed behind her. They were seated at one of the booths and given menus. "I have never been here before. It's a beautiful place." Gabriella said, looking over the menu. The food choices looked delicious and that was only based off of the food descriptions. "My mom used to take me here when I lived with her." Ethan said.

"Why'd you take me here?" she asked.

"I want to show you a good time Gabriella and no, I don't intend on sleeping with you. I know you have a boyfriend and I respect that. It's been a while since I've been with a girl who doesn't bitch at me or tell me what to do. I like how you don't start any arguments. You're understanding and I don't want to steal you away from your boyfriend. I know how much you care about him and I can see that you're constantly worried about him. It's okay to be worried." he answered. Gabriella knew that Ethan was a good person and deserved to be with someone. If only Troy could take me out on dates like this. She silently thought to herself with a sigh.

. . .

Later that night, Troy had just taken a shower and was dressed for bed. Loraine walked out of the bathroom, fully dressed in her sleepwear. "Have the bed, I'll sleep on the couch." Troy suggested. Loraine smiled and told Troy that he was truly a gentleman, then proceeded to the bed. She turned out the lights and got settled in bed while Troy got settled on the couch. The next morning, Troy awoke and Loraine was still sound asleep. He ordered breakfast to be brought up to their room and tipped the guy that brought the food to their room. When Loraine awoke, she saw that breakfast was on the table. "Troy, you-"

"No, it's my treat." Troy interrupted with a smile. Loraine smiled, walking over to the table and sat down across from Troy. "I just want to treat you in return for taking me out to lunch last week. Besides, you deserve this." he added. Loraine thanked him for the breakfast as she began eating. After breakfast, they both went outside and took a cab to Central Park. "Troy, you're too kind." Loraine smiled as the two of them began walking through the park.

"I just want us to be on good terms Loraine, as friends of course. I really believe you deserve a guy who can show you a good time." Troy smiled.

"Friends?" she asked.

"Not as boss and employee, but as Troy and Loraine. Just the two of us hanging out with no tendencies to sleep with each other."

"I have to admit. Your girlfriend is one lucky girl to have someone like you. It'll be sad if you lose her to another guy." Loraine said. Troy nodded as the two of them continued to converse while walking around the park. He was glad that he and Loraine could be on good terms. At least now Gabriella didn't have to worry anymore about the whole cheating ordeal. Troy was just worried about one thing: the marriage proposal.


	5. Chapter 5

After the two weeks of Troy's business trip were over, he and Loraine flew back to Los Angeles. Gabriella was picking up Troy from the airport. She immediately saw him as he walked out of the terminal, then ran up and wrapped her arms around him. Troy had set down his bag and hugged Gabriella. "I'm so glad you're home!" she said while they hugged.

"I'm just glad to see you." he said, pulling away and looking into her eyes. Gabriella smiled and kissed him on the lips. She suggested the two go out for lunch and Troy agreed to go. They put his bag into her car. She parked her car in the parking lot of one of the restaurant once they arrived. They entered and were immediately seated at their table. After ordering, Gabriella wanted to talk about the details of Troy's two-week business trip. "New York was great. Though, nothing beats the west coast." he smiled. Gabriella could tell that Troy was hiding something while continue to listen to his business trip details. Throughout lunch, their conversations were minimal. "Is that all you've done in New York?" she asked him.

Troy was wondering why Gabriella wanted to know about his business trip. There wasn't much to talk about, unless she was trying to pull information about he and Loraine but nothing happened between the two of them. "Yes, that's all I've done in New York." he said. "What have you been up to in the two weeks that I was gone?" Now it was his turn to have the spotlight on Gabriella. She didn't think it was fair since she felt that Troy didn't fully answer her question. "I went out with my workers, who are also my _friends_ Troy." she answered.

"What about that guy, your boss?"

"Ethan? He hasn't done anything to me Troy, unless you're referring to the fact that he's taken me out to lunch and dinner. He's not a threat to our relationship Troy. He seems to respect our relationship." Ethan was treating Gabriella better than the way he treats her? Troy wasn't happy with this. "Why would you let him take you out to dinner?" he asked her.

"Why are you not able to take me out to dinner?" she asked. "You're the one who continuously stays late after work. _You_ are not being honest with me Troy."

"I'm not being honest?"

"I don't want to fight with you." Gabriella shook her head as she got up from her seat and stormed out of the restaurant. Troy left some money on the table to pay for their food and followed her out of the restaurant. "What's going on Gabriella?" he asked her.

"Are you seeing someone else?" Gabriella confronted Troy and she demanded to hear the truth from him. She didn't want to keep any secrets between the two, but this secret almost seemed to be splitting them apart. "No, I'm not seeing anyone else Gab-"

"I don't believe you."

"I'm not. I'm telling you the truth. My boss-"

"Who is she? Is she pretty? Is she married? Single?"

"Her name's Loraine Taylor. Nothing happened between us Gabriella. Sure she'd make me stay late at work and we were on this business trip together, but nothing happened. She's not married, but-"

Gabriella just shook her head and asked, "Did you kiss her?" Troy was silent and Gabriella couldn't take it anymore. Without another word, she went to her car and took out Troy's back from the trunk. Angrily, she set it down at his feet and got in her car as she drove off with tears streaming down her cheeks. Her heart completely sunk and she didn't want to go to the apartment. She didn't want to see pictures of her and Troy being happy together. She drove to Ethan's place, parking her car in front of his house. She didn't think it would come down to this, but it did. She got out of her car and walked up to the front door, ringing the door bell. She waited and was about to leave after five minutes when the door opened.

"Gabriella, hey. I'm sur-" Gabriella interrupted Ethan as she threw her arms around his neck, hugging him. "-prised to see you." Ethan finally finished his sentence after she pulled away. He saw that the tears were streaming down her cheeks and told her to come in. He closed the door behind her after she entered. "Can I offer you anything to drink? A glass of water? Some vodka?" He was joking about the last part, but it put a small smile on her face. Gabriella slightly shook her and said, "A glass of water is fine. Thank you." Ethan nodded, heading into the kitchen and poured her a glass of water. He brought it out to Gabriella as she thanked him, taking the glass from him and took a sip.

Ethan sat down on the couch, facing her. "Is everything okay?" he asked, concerned. He didn't want to see Gabriella sad and it killed him a little bit inside to see her this way. Gabriella shook her head, but still gave no definite answer as to why she was this way. She was about halfway done with the glass when she set it on the coffee table. "I didn't know where else to go. I'm sorry if I barged in unannounced." she said.

Ethan smiled, "Hey, it's okay. If you want to talk, I'm here for you." Gabriella finally told him everything about what she learned from Troy and when she began tearing up, Ethan gave her a hug and rubbed her back. "Just give him some space Gabriella. He's not going to leave you for someone like her." He pulled away. "If he leaves you, he's stupid. You're a wonderful person. When you smile and laugh, it seems to make a person's day a whole lot better. I bet whoever this Loraine person is will never compare to some as great as you are." Gabriella felt a lot better hearing those words from Ethan, but she still wondered about who Loraine Taylor was.

. . .

"Well you're welcome to stay with us." Chad smiled as Troy entered through the front door of the condo Chad shared with Taylor. "He hurt Gabriella _again_, let him stay with someone else." Taylor obviously wasn't happy with Troy staying at their place for a few days. "Would you have him stay in New York with Ryan and Kelsi? Or Sharpay and Zeke?" Chad asked. Taylor rolled her eyes and walked into the kitchen to make dinner. "Thanks again man. I don't think Gabriella would let me back into the apartment." Troy said, sitting down on the couch. "You know, we have an extra-"

"The couch is fine. I'm not staying for long." Troy interrupted as Chad sat down beside his best friend. The two friends haven't seen each other in over a year and needed some catching up to do. "Well our door is always open if you need anything." Chad said. "Don't mind Tay. You know how she acts when you're around."

"It's all right. Right now, I deserve the hate." Troy sighed.

"Why the long face?" Chad asked. Troy explained to Chad about his job, the two week business trip with his boss Loraine Taylor, and the incident that recently happened with Gabriella. "See Chad. I told you. Men like _him_ don't change." Taylor said, sitting down beside Chad. "Except for you."

"Loraine kissed me, but back in that hotel room, I had the urge to sleep with her. I fought it off because the thought of Gabriella popped into my mind. There's no other girl like Gabriella, no one can replace her and I'm afraid that I might've lost her to someone else." Troy told Chad.

"Who?"

"Some guy named Ethan."

"Ethan Jensen? Gabriella talked about him on the phone the other day." Taylor said. "Yeah, he's a really nice guy but he's not going to go for Gabriella. He knows his boundaries, unlike _some _people."

"Taylor..." Chad started as Taylor rolled her eyes.

"She's right. That Ethan guy treats her way better than I do, or did. I have to get her back somehow." Troy said.

"Well, now's the time you should ask her to marry you." Chad said. Troy knew that his best friend was right, but still, Ethan was in the way. He had to find a way to get Ethan away from Gabriella so that there wouldn't be any competition between them. Maybe if Ethan and Loraine unexpectedly meet.


	6. Chapter 6

Gabriella had gone to work that Monday, but she still thought about her talk earlier with Troy. She still couldn't believe that Troy had kissed Loraine, or whatever her name was. Yet, Troy was telling the truth about he and Loraine. Gabriella wasn't just believing it. She didn't know the full details of what exactly happened during the two week business trip. She wasn't there, so she couldn't really jump to any conclusions if Troy was cheating on her or not. She entered her office and sat down at her desk. Alexa and Josh greeted her as they entered the door, but she hardly said anything back. The two of them looked at each other, knowing that something was wrong but they didn't want to harass Gabriella with their questions and decided to wait until lunch break to ask her.

Gabriella kept her focus on her work, looking over the cases that Ethan had given her. She hardly saw Ethan throughout the entire week. Finally, at the end of the week on Friday, Gabriella was one of the last to leave. She walked down the hallway out towards the main entrance and heard Ethan talking on the phone. "Yes, sir...I will check to see if I'm available tomorrow at 2pm. Yes, thank you. Good bye." Gabriella heard the phone being put back on its holder and the door opened. Ethan walked out, a bit startled at the fact that Gabriella was outside his door. "Oh sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." she said. Ethan smiled, straightening his coat and told her that everything was alright. "Just got off the phone with my dad. He's inviting me to a family gathering this tomorrow. Apparently he wants me to bring a date." Ethan said.

The two walked down the hallway out to the main entrance. "If you can't find anyone by tomorrow, I'd be happy to accompany you." Gabriella smiled. Ethan walked Gabriella out to her car, stopping before she opened the door. "That wouldn't be-"

"I insist." she smiled. "After everything you've done for me since I've worked here, you deserve it." Ethan smiled and told Gabriella that he would be picking her up around one-thirty. She told him that she'd be ready by then. "Oh and thanks." he added. He opened her car door for her as she got in and the door closed. Gabriella started her car and drove off to her apartment. She parked her car in front of the apartment and entered, closing the door behind her. The next day, Gabriella was fully dressed when a knock came at the door. She went to answer it. "Hey Ethan." she smiled upon seeing Ethan's face.

"Hey, wow you look beautiful." Ethan smiled. "You ready to go?"

"Yup." Gabriella smiled, locking the door behind her. She walked with Ethan out to his car and he opened the passenger door. She thanked him as she got in the car. Ethan got in the driver's seat, starting the car and drove off down the street. He parked the car in the parking lot of the park. They both got out as a kid ran up to Ethan. "Uncle Ethan!" The girl smiled, giving Ethan a hug. "Hey there sugarplum!" Ethan smiled, giving her a hug. The girl pulled away and looked up at Gabriella, then at Ethan. "Who's that?" she asked.

"This is my friend Gabriella." Ethan smiled. The girl held out her hand towards Gabriella and smiled, "I'm Sophie. You're very pretty." Sophie and Gabriella shook hands.

"Well nice to meet you Sophie. You're quite pretty yourself." Gabriella smiled. Sophie looked up at Ethan after they shook hands, motioning for him to come closer. She whispered, "I like her."

Ethan smiled at his niece. "I like her too." he winked. Sophie skipped off towards the playground where the other children were playing. "She's my cousin's daughter. I never had any siblings." Ethan said.

"She's a really sweet girl." Gabriella smiled as they walked towards the area where Ethan's family was gathered. "Yeah, just like you." Ethan smiled, making Gabriella blush a bit. Ethan's father, Eric called his son over. "Ethan, I want you to meet someone. I think she's perfect for you." Eric smiled. Ethan dreaded those words his father had said. "I'll introduce you." Eric motioned with a hand out to the girl who was talking with some of Ethan's relatives. "Ethan, this is Loraine Taylor. She owns a business too." Eric said. Ethan and Loraine's eyes met as they shook hands with one another. Gabriella saw the woman and see why Troy could've been with her. She decided to leave the two alone and sit down on one of the benches in the park, enjoying the fresh air. She glanced over at Ethan and Loraine, thinking how that used to be the two of them. Though she remembered meeting Troy very clearly in her mind.

_Immediately he saw her, sitting alone on a bench. This was his chance to go up to her and make up for his actions. He took a deep breath and walked up to her. "Can I help you?" she asked, looking up at him. She was more beautiful in person. Troy wondered to himself how a girl could be so beautiful. Almost angel like. The tone in her voice gave away the fact that she wasn't too happy to see him. "Look, I want to make up for my actions. I realize that what I did to you was wrong and I'm sorry. I hope you can forgive me, if not, I understand. I should've never treated you like that and it was very rude of me." he said. Troy noticed that she was going to say something, but it seemed like something was holding her back. "I'm Troy." He held out his hand towards her. She looked at it, then reached out and shook his hand. "Gabriella." she said._

Gabriella sighed and knew that those good old days were gone. Though to her, the good days was when Troy was a player and slept around with every girl. Yet, even though Taylor had warned her to stay away from him, she didn't and she couldn't because she was in love with him. But that got her thinking, was Troy truly in love with her?

. . .

Later that day Gabriella called Taylor's phone, waiting for her to pick up. "Hey Gabriella." Taylor answered on the other line. Gabriella asked Taylor to meet her at the beach. Taylor agreed and they talked for another five minutes. They both hung up the phone and Gabriella drove to her dad's house. Ever since she moved out of her dad's house and moved into the apartment, Gabriella hardly spent any time with her dad. This might as well be one of those times. She thought to herself, parking the car in front of the house. She walked up to the front door and rang the doorbell. The door opened and Andrew saw who was standing before him. "Hey dad!" Gabriella smiled, hugging her father.

"Hey hon. Come on in." Andrew pulled away from the hug as she entered the house. Her father's home still looked the same, but of course, what changed was her dad. To everyone else, he could be old but to her, he was still the same dad. "I'm sorry I came on such short notice, but I wanted to see you." she smiled, entering the living room and sat down on the couch. She had a lot to talk about, but she didn't want her dad to find out about what happened between she and Troy. She went through the backyard and out onto the beach where she met up with Taylor. The two friends immediately hugged when they saw each other. "God it's been so long!" Gabriella smiled as they pulled away.

"Girl, it's only been a year Gabs." Taylor teased. The two of them had so many things to catch up on, but what was more important was Troy. "Yeah, I heard about what happened. Troy's staying with Chad and I. I wish he didn't though." she sighed.

"Tay, we both know you don't like Troy, but we also both know that you'd rather have Troy and I back together." Gabriella said.

"What are you going to do about Troy?" Taylor asked. Gabriella shrugged, running her hands through the soft sand as they sat down. She remembered the days when she and Troy would spend time on the beach together. It was also when they informally met. A small smile spread across her face at the thought of her calling Troy an asshole and slapping him across the face. A lot had happened between the two, but they always managed to work things out. She sighed, bringing her knees up to her chin and stared out onto the horizon.


	7. Chapter 7

Troy had been staying at Chad and Taylor's place for almost a month and Taylor was getting tired of having to feed for two men instead of one. "Troy, you promised that you'd be staying for only a few days. How much time do you need?" Taylor asked as the three of them sat down around the dining table. "Have you tried to talk Gabriella into allowing you to come home?" Chad asked. Troy told them that he went to the apartment the other day, but when he knocked on the door, no one was home. "I think she's staying at her dad's place." Taylor said.

"Is that what she told you?" Troy asked.

"Yeah, she called me one day and told me that she's going to be at her dad's house for a while. I haven't really seen her since." Taylor answered. Troy didn't think that it would come down to this. He let out a sigh, then began eating his meal. He didn't know whether or not that Chad was right about him proposing to Gabriella. The very next day, Troy decided to leave and go back home. He parked the car in front of the apartment, then realized that there was an extra key that was hidden. He had never felt so stupid in his life, but he had every reason to feel that way.

He entered the empty apartment, closing the door behind him as he set his bag down in the bedroom. The bed looked like it hadn't been slept in for weeks, which was true. Troy had gotten dressed for work and got in his car, driving to the company. He parked his car in the lot, got out, and entered the building. "Finally back from the grave." Chris smiled as Troy stepped out onto the floor. Troy wasn't in a joking mood for that day. Both Chris and Daniel could tell that something was wrong, but neither of them bothered to ask.

Loraine walked out of her office to see Troy walk to his cubicle and sit down. "Hey." she smiled. Troy didn't say anything to her as he looked over the files on his desk. Loraine knew that something was up and it definitely had something to do with Gabriella. "Look, I'm sorry about what-"

"It's not your fault Loraine." Troy interrupted, shuffling through the papers. Loraine couldn't understand how blunt Troy was being. She remembered that he was all smiles when they were talking, but then she realized that she seemed to have gotten in the way of his relationship. "It is my fault. I shouldn't have kissed you." she said. "If I had known-"

Troy faced her as he stood up. "Loraine, I know we're friends and I know you're trying to bring this upon yourself. It's not your entire fault. It's mine." he said. "I just- I just want to get Gabriella back." Loraine didn't say another word, but hugged him.

"I'll help you get her back Troy." she said. In many ways, Troy was grateful for having a friend like Loraine and was glad that they could still be friends after everything that has happened. "Thank you." Troy said after they pulled away and he resumed his work.

. . .

Gabriella was in her office that day. She had been crying herself to sleep all week and hardly got enough sleep. Ethan had let her off work early for a few of those days in the last month, but now she was ready to get back to work. Ethan had gotten off the phone with Loraine after a conversation about Troy. Loraine had told him that she was eagerly going to help Troy and Gabriella get back together. Ethan agreed that it would be a good idea and then said goodbye before hanging up the phone. He walked down the hallway, entering the room. He walked up to Gabriella with his hands in his pockets. "I have a proposal for you." he said.

"What do you need?" Gabriella asked him.

"We can talk about it over lunch." he said. Gabriella shook her head in reply, then continued on her work. Ethan rolled his eyes and sighed. There were times when Gabriella was a stubborn girl. "Don't be stubborn Gabriella. You are coming to lunch with me and that's an order." Ethan said, using his stern boss-like voice. He hardly used it around Gabriella because she wasn't a difficult person to work with. He noticed that she was always so cooperative and since the incident that happened with Troy, not so much. Eventually he got Gabriella to rise out of her seat and walked with him out to his car.

Ethan drove her to a local cafe where they could just chat about life's wonders, or just about her life. They sat down at a table outside and were served their meals. "Tell me, what's your life like?" he asked her. Gabriella was confused as to why Ethan was asking her about what her life was like. "Why do you need to know?" she asked.

"I'm just curious." he shrugged.

"My life isn't really all that special Ethan. My parents divorced when I was seven and I've always lived with my mom throughout high school. When I was old enough to travel, I'd go and visit my dad here in LA. I don't have any siblings. I like to sing, but I would get nervous. I remember in high school, I 'audition' for the musical and I didn't even know that I was auditioning. Troy-" She stopped at his name and then the tears came. Ethan pulled out his handkerchief and gave it to her. Gabriella thanked him as she wiped her tears away with it. "I know talking about him is a tough subject, but it helps. What's he like when he's not… you know, a player?" he asked.

"He's a wonderful guy. He's sweet, caring, and he knows how to have fun. He would take me on these romantic dates. He'd find so many ways to surprise me." Gabriella continued to reminisce about the good old days when she and Troy were dating. Ethan saw that every time a good memory was said, she would smile and her eyes would light up. He loved seeing that side of Gabriella. The two continued to talk about each other's past relationships. "Troy will realize that he needs you more than you need him." Ethan said.

Gabriella nodded and took a bite of her food, thankful for having Ethan around. She couldn't have been more grateful to have Ethan by her side for moral support. After lunch, Ethan drove back to the law firm and parked his car in the lot. "Ethan, I really appreciate for having you around." she smiled.

"That's what friends are for Gabs." Ethan smiled.

. . .

After work, Troy and Loraine walked into a jewelry store. "Loraine, hi!" A woman walked up to Loraine, giving her a hug. Loraine smiled, hugging the other woman. "Melanie, I want you to meet a friend of mine. Troy Bolton." Loraine introduced Melanie to Troy as the two shook hands. "Nice to meet you." she smiled.

Troy smiled, shaking her hand. "You too."

"So, what can I help you with?" Melanie saw that Troy was a fine young man, but she figured that he could be seeing someone. "Well, Troy here is looking for an engagement ring." Loraine answered for Troy.

"She must be one lucky girl." Melanie smiled.

"Yeah, she is." Troy smiled, but it wasn't genuine. Melanie could tell that something was wrong but she didn't want to impose. "I'll pick out a few selections and you can tell me which one you like." she said, then went behind the counter to pick out a few rings. She set the choice of rings on the counter to have Troy look at all of them. He liked ring with the three diamonds in the middle, and so he picked that as his choice for the engagement ring. "Great choice." Melanie smiled. Troy paid for the ring and got into his car with Loraine. "So, where are you planning to propose to her? The beach? A restaurant?" she asked.

"I know you're trying to help me, but I all ready have a place in mind Loraine." he smiled.

Loraine rolled her eyes and sighed, "Oh alright, if you don't want to tell me..."

"Okay, I'll tell you." Troy said as he laid out to her the details of how he was going to propose to Gabriella.


	8. Chapter 8

That Friday after work, Troy had called Gabriella and left her a message on her voicemail after she didn't pick up. He understood why she didn't pick up when he called, but he figured that she would check her messages. He wanted to see if she was available that Saturday. He arrived back at the apartment when his phone rang. He picked up and answered, "Hello?"

"Hey, I got your message." Gabriella's voice came over the phone. It felt like years since he's heard Gabriella's voice. He waited so long to hear hear beautiful voice again. "Oh, cool." he said. He didn't really know what else to say after the way he hurt her about a month ago. "I don't really have any plans tomorrow, so pick me up at my dad's place then?" she asked. He told her that he'd pick her up around seven. Gabriella agreed and said that she would be ready by then. They didn't go into much of a conversation afterwards, but said their goodbyes and hung up the phone.

The next day, Gabriella looked through the clothes she had brought to her dad's house and pulled out a dress. Before seven, she was prepped and ready to go. She stepped out onto the balcony because she had a few minutes to spare. A smile spread across her face in remembrance of Troy climbing up to see her and how the balcony was the only place he could escape unseen. The sun was setting, painting the sky in purples and oranges. It was going to become dark soon. She heard her dad call her name from downstairs and she went down. Troy and Andrew were talking in the living room. As soon as she reached the bottom step, Troy had stepped out from the living room to catch Gabriella at that very moment.

To Troy, Gabriella was still the most beautiful girl he had ever laid eyes on. "I thought you kids we're just going out for a walk." Andrew joked. Gabriella rolled her eyes and told her dad not to wait up for her. "You two have fun." he added. Gabriella hugged her dad as Troy escorted her out of the house and out to his car. Troy opened the passenger door for her as Gabriella thanked him and got in. He slid into the driver's seat beside her, starting the car. The ride to the restaurant was an awkward silence. Neither Gabriella and Troy had any idea what to say to each other. They got out of the car and Troy held the door open to the restaurant. Gabriella entered after thanking him and then they were seated at a table.

After they ordered their food and drinks, all they had to do was wait. "So, how've you been?" Gabriella asked, initiating the conversation. She wasn't entirely sure if Troy would be the first to start the conversation or she. I might as well start. She thought to herself and took a sip of her drink after it was brought out. "I've been good, how about you?" Troy asked.

"Good." she replied. "How's work?"

"Work's good."

If they kept this up, they weren't going to get anywhere. "Why'd you decide to take me out tonight?" She was curious as to why Troy was all dressed up for an occasion between the two of them. She could hardly remember the last time he ever took her out on a real date. "I wanted to make up for everything that has happened and besides, I owe it all to you. You deserve to be taken out on a real date. I haven't been a good boyfriend lately and I really do feel bad for everything that has happened. All of this has been my fault." he answered. Gabriella couldn't possibly let Troy take all the blame for what has happened. "It's my fault just as much as yours Troy. Both of us were in some way or another were… I don't know… romantically involved with our bosses." she said.

Troy couldn't believe what he heard. Gabriella taking the blame as well? This is going to be one interesting night. They both thought silently in their minds. "But enough about them, let's talk about us. I don't think making up for everything that's happened is the only reason you took me out to dinner tonight Troy." Troy could tell Gabriella was trying to figure things out. He shook his head and told her that taking her out to dinner was just the beginning of what was to come. He knew that statement would leave Gabriella curious to what was going to happen next. Their food was brought out to them and they began eating.

The two of them had a rough start and found themselves laughing as soon as they walked out of the restaurant. It was very clear that everyone who saw them knew that they came from opposites sides, but they complemented each other well. Troy then drove out to the beach, another destination that was checked off on his list. Gabriella could tell Troy was up to something, but she didn't want to jump to any assumptions because she was just having fun with Troy. They sat down on the beach together and just talked, listening to the waves crash against the shore. "I really missed this." Gabriella smiled, looking at Troy.

"I missed this too." Troy smiled. Finally their time on the beach had ended and Troy drove to the airport where a private jet was reserved to take them to Utah where they met at the Ski Lodge. The taxi parked in front of the lodge and they paid the driver and got out of the taxi. Troy led Gabriella out to the patio where they stared up at the night sky. "This has to be one of my favorite places in the world." he said, looking into her eyes.

"Why's that?" she asked with a smile.

"Just before semester started in high school, we both met here at the ski lodge and we were both… forced to sing karaoke onstage in front of everyone. Both of us were nervous, but when we looked right into each other's eyes, everyone around us seemed to disappear and we were the only two people in the world. Well, when I look into your eyes, there's no one else I see but you. Right now, you and I are the only two people in this world. There's no one to stop us or hold us back from achieving the goal that I've dreamed about. My dream is to be with the woman I love, to wake up every morning and see her beautiful face, to come home from work and see that she'll be greeting me with open arms. My dream Gabriella has always been you.

"I thought that basketball was the only thing I could ever love, but when I met you, I knew that I had to have you. During the summer when I saw you and you turned me down, it hurt but I had to try. I wasn't going to give up until I had you and I did, but letting you walk out of my life was the hardest thing that I had to do. I'm not going to let you walk out of my life. No matter what the situation is, we are going to stay together and fight. I love you Gabriella Anne Montez and so the question that I'm going to ask you right now is…" He had gotten down on one knee and Gabriella couldn't really believe what was happening right now. "Will you marry me?"


	9. Chapter 9

Gabriella knew that Troy was waiting for a response, but she didn't hesitate a single moment to let all the information in. She nodded and said, "Yes." She was just so overwhelmed with joy as the tears just fell from her eyes. Troy smiled and placed the ring on her finger as she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him in for a kiss. Troy wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her close as the two kissed. It was simply a night the two of them would never forget. Troy pulled away and led her down a corridor to a room where they'd be staying for the night. Gabriella was surprised to find a bottle of champagne and two glasses sitting on a table. That entire night was just full of surprises. "I love you Troy." she smiled, then kissed Troy's lips.

Troy reached behind unzipping her dress as Gabriella let it fall to the floor. Gabriella began to unbutton his shirt as Troy took off his jacket. Troy let the shirt fall onto the floor as Gabriella's hands trailed to the hemline of his pants. She unbuttoned his pants and they fell to the floor around his ankles, then proceeded to pull down his boxers. Troy had taken off his shoes and socks as he stepped out of his pants. He picked Gabriella up and set her down on the bed. He got on top of her and began kissing her lips, then moved his lips to her neck. Gabriella let out a few moans while his lips traveled further down her body. He pulled off her panties, then slid a finger inside of her. He heard her let out an even louder moan as he smiled. He slid his hard member deep into her, slowly thrusting in and out. His hips gently slamming against hers with each thrust. Both of their moans echoed throughout the room; it was harmonious even.

Switching positions, Gabriella rode him as she felt him inch deeper and deeper inside of her. She let out moans of sheer pleasure until she finally came. Tiredly, she rested her head on his chest and they were both breathing heavily afterwards. The next morning, Troy awoke to an empty space beside him, but shortly after, he heard the shower being turned on in the bathroom. He was never going to forget what happened last night. A smile came after replaying the entire night. His phone rang as he reached over to answer it. "Hello?" he asked, tiredly.

"Hey man, it's Chad."

"Oh hey, what's up?" Troy smiled, sitting up in bed.

"Where you at?" Chad asked. Troy told Chad that he was with Gabriella at the ski lodge. "Did you finally propose to her?"

"Of course I did." Troy answered, but he didn't tell Chad that Gabriella said yes. He wanted to wait until he and Gabriella flew back to Los Angeles to tell everyone the news. After talking, Troy hung up as Gabriella walked out of the bathroom fully dressed. "Finally you're awake." Gabriella giggled walking over to Troy who was sitting on the edge of the bed. She leaned and gave Troy a kiss on the lips. "Good morning to you too." Troy smiled.

Finally they landed in Los Angeles and drove back to Gabriella's dad's place. "I'll be in and out in fifteen minutes." she said, leaning over and gave Troy a kiss on the cheek before getting out of the car. She entered her house and was greeted by her father with a hug. She went upstairs, packing her bags, and went downstairs. She said goodbye to her dad and went out of the house, closing the door behind her and got in the car after putting her stuff in the backseat. "When should be the right time to tell our parents about our engagement?" Troy asked her, driving down the street back to their apartment.

"How about this weekend? I can call my mom to fly here." Gabriella answered. Troy parked the car in the driveway of their apartment, bringing in Gabriella's bag. He closed the door after they entered and they both sat down on the couch to talk about how they were going to tell their friends about the engagement. Gabriella wondered about how her friends at work were going to react when she told them. She figured that they weren't going to mind, but then she thought about Ethan. She knew that Ethan liked her, but she figured that he would be okay with her engagement since he met Loraine.

The next day, Gabriella drove to work and parked her car in the lot. She went straight to her office and sat down at her desk. "Heard you went on a romantic getaway last weekend." Alexa smiled, sitting down at the edge of Gabriella's desk. Josh also sat down on the opposite side. "What are you talking about?" Gabriella asked, confused as to how her friends got the information. "Don't lie to us Gabriella." Josh said. "We know you're hiding something."

"I'm not hiding anything." she said, picking up the finished paperwork that had been done for weeks. Alexa rolled her eyes, stopping Gabriella in her tracks as she stood in front of Gabriella. "Spill it. What's the rush? Ethan can wait." Alexa said. Gabriella sighed and told her friends about what happened on Saturday, then showed them the ring. "God it's gorgeous." Alexa gushed, admiring the ring.

"You have to invite us to your wedding." Josh said. Gabriella rolled her eyes, pulling her hand away and opened the door. She walked down the hallway to Ethan's office and knocked on the door. She heard a faint 'come in' and she entered the office. Ethan was busy talking on the phone when Gabriella entered. He hung up the phone as he turned around in his chair. "Ah Miss Montez, glad to hear you're back from your trip." Ethan said. Miss Montez? Gabriella asked silently in her mind. Weren't they on a first name basis a few weeks ago? "Just set the folders on the desk and I'll look them over." he added. Gabriella nodded, setting the folders on his desk. Without another word, she walked out of the office and closed the door behind her.

. . .

Troy went back to work that Monday morning and his friends noticed the smile on his face. "Either you had sex last night or you and Gabriella got back together." Daniel said as Troy sat down at his desk. When Troy didn't answer, Chris concluded that it was both. "What else happened on the weekend that you're not telling us?" Chris asked. Troy told his friends that he proposed to Gabriella saturday night and she said yes. "Congrats man." Daniel smiled, patting Troy on the back. Troy thanked his friends and got back to work. Loraine walked out of her office, dropping the paperwork on his desk so that it made a loud thud. "Mr. Bolton, I need you to have the work done before lunch." Loraine said and then walked away. Troy knew something was wrong with Loraine, but he didn't hesitate another moment to get the work done.

By the time lunch rolled around, he picked up the paperwork and brought it immediately to her office. He knocked on the door, but when he didn't hear an answer, he entered the office. "Just set them on the desk." she said, motioning to a pile of paper on the desk. Troy set the paperwork on top of the pile and lingered for a moment, even though he should give her some space. "Loraine-"

"I prefer to be called Ms. Taylor if you don't mind since I am your boss." she interrupted.

"Okay, Ms. Taylor, I know I don't have a reason to impose on the problems you are dealing with but I can't help but question: is everything okay?" he asked. Troy was worried about her and he didn't care if she was his boss or that he could possibly be fired for disobeying her. "What makes it seem like I'm not okay?" she asked. Troy looked around her office at the way everything was arranged. There were dried up flowers in the trash bin and the pile of papers on her desk that could've been there for weeks. "Let me take you out to lunch." he suggested.

"No, you don't-"

Troy held out his hand and smiled, "C'mon, it's my treat." Loraine looked at him and looked at his hand as she got out of her seat. He opened the door for her, gently placing a hand on her back. The two of them walked out to his car and got in. Troy started the car and drove to a nearby food place. They sat down at a table, ordered their food and drinks, and then began talking.

. . .

Gabriella noticed that Ethan had been avoiding her a lot lately and she was curious as to why he was acting so weird. "Do you know what's wrong with Ethan?" she asked Alexa. It was already 5pm and almost everyone had left. "He's hardly talked to us." Alexa replied.

"I'm going to stay for a bit." Gabriella said, then bid her goodbye to Alexa and Josh. She still saw that the light was on in Ethan's office. Of course he was going to stay late. She thought to herself, then walked down the hallway. She knocked on the open door and saw that Ethan looked up from his desk. "Is there anything I can help you with Miss Montez?" Ethan asked her. She entered his office. She shook her head and asked, "Ethan's what's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong." he answered. Gabriella saw that the folders had been untouched from earlier this morning. Of course something was wrong. She walked around his desk, tugging on his hand. "C'mon, I'll take you out to dinner." she said. Ethan didn't move from his chair and continued to sit there, motionlessly. "Ethan." She looked at him, but he didn't turn his head towards her direction. "Congratulations on your engagement Gabriella." Those were the only words he said before getting up and walked out the door, slamming it behind him.


	10. Chapter 10

That weekend, both Troy's and Gabriella's parents came down to Los Angeles. They had taken their parents out for lunch to announce the news of their engagement. Troy and Gabriella were on their way to the restaurant. "I wonder how our parents will react, especially mine. We both know how my parents are when-"

"Everything will be fine Gabriella. After telling our parents, we can break the news to our friends." Troy interrupted, assuring Gabriella. He didn't really show any emotion on his face, but he was just as nervous as she was. He had hoped that his parents will be happy for him. They parked the car in the lot in front of the restaurant and joined their parents at the table. They ordered their drinks and food. "I take it you two have something to tell us." Lucille smiled. Troy and Gabriella both glanced at each other before saying a word. They both told their parents that Gabriella was engaged. What Troy and Gabriella didn't expect was the reaction they got from their parents. They were greeting each other with warm hugs. Gabriella excused herself to go to the bathroom and on her way there, she ran into Ethan. "Ethan?" she asked.

Ethan looked at Gabriella, not entirely believing that it was her. "Gabriella? Hey, didn't mean to run into you there." he said and was about to walk away when she gently grabbed his arm. "What's going on?" she questioned. Ethan shook his head and smiled, "Nothing's wrong Gabs. I'll leave you to your celebration. Congrats again." The tone was just the same when she heard him congratulate her before. Something was up and she intended to find out. She watched him leave before going into the bathroom. Afterwards, she joined Troy back at the table who leaned over to ask about Ethan. She shook her head and began to eat her food.

After lunch, Gabriella drove to the mall to meet Taylor there. "Girl, you know I'm not happy that you're engaged to Troy, but I'm going to give him the ok." Taylor said. Gabriella rolled her eyes at the girls browsed through the various types of stores in the mall. They entered one of the stores and there they ran into Loraine. "You must be Gabriella." Loraine said. Gabriella nodded, unsure of why Loraine wasn't with Ethan. "You must be Loraine then. I hope this isn't too much, but I would like to ask you a question." Gabriella said.

"Sure, ask away." Loraine said.

"Well, it's about Ethan."

"Ethan who?"

"Jensen."

"Oh, _him_." Gabriella could easily tell that something was wrong with Loraine as well. "There's not much to say about him. You know, I thought he was the one, you know? I have never met a guy like him and to think that he was different, no. They're all the same. All men... are... the same." Loraine said.

"That's not true. Ethan's not like that kind of guy."

"That's what _you_ think. Just because you work for him and because he treats you with more respect than the other employees doesn't mean he actually _cares_. He's had you from the beginning - the flowers, the diamond bracelet."

"The flowers-"

"You thought they're from Troy? Ha. C'mon, did Troy even know about where you worked? Doubtful." Loraine interrupted. Gabriella couldn't believe what she was hearing. Did Ethan really try to break Troy and Gabriella up? There was no possible way that was true. Gabriella didn't really know what the truth was anymore. She walked out of the store with Taylor and they went back to her car. "What are you going to do?" Taylor asked.

"I'm going to confront Ethan about this." Gabriella replied, then began driving down the street. She parked her car in front of Ethan's apartment. She got out of her car and walked up to the door, knocking. She waited a few minutes until the door opened. "Gabriella, I really don't have time to talk to you." Ethan said.

"I'm sure you have plenty of-" Sophie appeared at the door behind Ethan. A smile spread across her face as she hugged Gabriella. "Gabriella!" Sophie said. Gabriella smiled, hugging Sophie.

"Hey Sophie." Gabriella smiled. "Mind if I talk to your uncle for a little bit?"

Sophie nodded, "Sure. Come in." She grabbed Gabriella's hand, pulling her inside the apartment. Ethan sighed and closed the door after Gabriella entered. Sophie released Gabriella's hand and then went into the guest bedroom. "I'm sorry about Sophie." Ethan said, walking into the living room and sat down on the couch. Gabriella followed and sat down beside him. She shrugged, "I really enjoy her company. She's a sweet girl."

"She is. What brings you here?" he asked.

"Ethan, I'm really worried about you. What happened between you and Loraine?"

"We broke up. It's just that things weren't really working out. My dad was devastated when he heard the news. He thought she was the one and I told him that I was going to find another girl. Loraine's one of those girls, you know? She's business driven and I like that, but I want a girl who knows how to have fun. She just seems a bit uptight."

"She told me about the flowers and the diamond bracelet. She said the flowers weren't from Troy."

"What? Of course they're from Troy. If the flowers were from me, I would've given you roses or something. I didn't know you liked lilies. The diamond bracelet I gave you was because I was smitten. When I called you in for that interview, I had to hire you Gabriella. I wasn't going to go for you if you had a boyfriend and even if you two broke up, I'm not going to even try to replace him. I just gave you the diamond bracelet not for any reason." he said. Gabriella was hearing two different stories and wasn't sure which one was true, but it was clear that Ethan broke up with Loraine. "Do you care about me?" she asked.

"Of course I care about you. We're friends."

"Then why did you call me 'Miss Montez'?"

"You're engaged and so I figured that it'd be appropriate for work. Gabriella, if you're thinking about putting Loraine and I together, it's not going to work out."

"I saw the way you two looked at each other when you first met. I know what that's like and this break up is just a bump in the road that you two will get over. You two are meant for each other."

"Do _your_ friends approve of you and Troy being together?"

"Yeah, except Taylor but she would rather have me be with Troy than-"

"Than any other guy?" Ethan scoffed, slightly shaking his head. "Right. We'll see how it works out between Loraine and I, but let's be honest, who's more ready to settle down? You or Troy?" Gabriella was stumped at that question. She wasn't sure herself. She bid her goodbye to Ethan and Sophie, then left his apartment as she got in her car. She drove back down the street to her apartment, parking out front. She entered, closing the door behind her and entered the kitchen to see Troy had been cooking something for dinner. "Dinner's not ready yet babe." Troy said as Gabriella opened the fridge to pour herself a glass of juice. "I know, but I have a question to ask." she said, taking a sip.

"What is it?" Troy asked.

"Are you ready for us to settle down?"

"Yeah, of course. I want to spend my whole life with you Gabs. What made you come up with such a question?"

Gabriella shrugged as she took another sip and said, "I saw Loraine and Ethan today, separately of course. They broke up and they both got me thinking, especially Ethan."

"Don't tell me you don't want to get married."

"I do want to get married Troy, to you. I just feel like we shouldn't rush into marriage and just enjoy the time we still have as ourselves."

"Ourselves?"

"Gabriella Montez and Troy Bolton? I mean, we haven't had any time spent together as the couple that we have always been and I miss us. I miss us going to the beach and just having fun. I miss us taking walks in the park while the sun beams down on our faces. I miss the late movie nights when we'd sit on the couch and eat popcorn together. I miss cuddling with you and not having sex afterwards. I miss those moments Troy and before we become officially Mr. and Mrs. Troy Bolton, let's just be ourselves for a while."

"Alright, we'll start tonight with me finishing dinner." he smiled. Gabriella smiled, leaning over and kissed him on the cheek. She happily walked into the living room, turned on the TV and sighed a happy sigh. Everything was right in the world, for now.


	11. Chapter 11

A year has passed, Troy and Gabriella were finally planning the wedding they have been waiting for. "I think we should limit the guests to family and friends. I don't want a big wedding." Gabriella said after looking over the guest list. She couldn't have been more happier to marry Troy and be Mrs. Bolton. They both revised the guest list and were off to talk about wedding cake options. Gabriella's phone rang and she picked up. "Hello?" she answered.

"Hey it's Taylor. What time is your dress fitting?" Taylor asked.

"Around 2pm." Gabriella replied. "Want to grab some lunch?" Taylor agreed and Gabriella hung up the phone. The doorbell to their apartment rang as Gabriella stood up and answered. "Hey guys!" Gabriella smiled, greeting Chad and Taylor. "Troy's inside." she told Chad. Gabriella and Taylor got in Gabriella's car, then drove off down the street. "I can't believe you're getting married in June. Have you decided where you're getting married? Is it going to be here, or-"

"We talked to Sharpay to have our wedding at Lava Springs." Gabriella interrupted with a smile. "You are going to love the set up... that I have painted in my mind. Once we get the decorations, everything will be perfect." She parked the car in the lot in front of the bridal store. Sharpay and Kelsi were going to meet the girls there. "Glad you finally decided to have your wedding at a place that I approve." Sharpay said.

"Well thank you Sharpay. I'm just glad that we can be friends and put our past behind us." Gabriella smiled.

Sharpay smiled, "Me too. We're anxious to see your dress, so go and try it on." Gabriella had gone into the back to change into her dress. She remembered that she had picked out the dress when her mom and Lucille were with her. She walked out into the main room to show off the dress. The other three girls gushed over the beautiful dress. "Well _somebody's_ going to get lucky on their wedding night." Kelsi smirked. Gabriella went back to change and finally got the dress to take home. As soon as they walked out, Gabriella saw Ethan walking out of a store to his car. She handed the dress to Taylor and went over to Ethan. "Ethan, hey." she smiled.

Ethan looked towards her direction and smiled, giving her a warm hug. "Hey Gabs." He pulled away from the hug. Although he and Gabriella have been working together at the law firm, they hardly saw each other at work. "How are you?" he asked her.

"I've been good. Just been busy with wedding plans." she answered. Ethan had almost forgot about Gabriella's wedding. He knew that her wedding was in June. "I haven't really sent out any invitations yet, but I want to invite you to our wedding."

"No, I don't think that's-"

"Please, I insist Ethan. You have become one of my good friends here and Los Angeles. I appreciate everything that you've done for me in the past. Though, I understand that if you have other plans." she said.

"I'll think about it. When's the date?"

"June 26th."

Ethan smiled and nodded. "I'll mark it down in my calendar. It's good to see you Gabriella." He walked to his car and Gabriella watched him back out of parking lot, then drive away down the street. She walked back to her car, seeing that Taylor was waiting for her. "What was that about?" Taylor asked once Gabriella got into her car. Gabriella started the car and drove down the street to the restaurant. "Just decided to invite Ethan to the wedding." Gabriella answered.

"What's Troy going to say when he hears about your _lover_ being invited to the wedding?"

"Ethan's not my lover. He and I are only friends Taylor." Gabriella arrived at the restaurant, parking the car. The girls got out of the car and entered the restaurant where all of their friends were. "What took you guys so long?" Sharpay asked.

"Gabriella got held up with a guy." Taylor answered as the two of them sat down at the table. They ordered the food and drinks, then chatted while waiting for their food. "Who?" Kelsi asked.

"Ethan, my boss. There's nothing serious going on between us. He and I are friends." Gabriella answered.

"Yeah, and she invited him to her wedding." Taylor added.

"What's Troy going to say?" Sharpay asked. Gabriella shrugged and as soon as their orders were brought out, Gabriella was thinking the same exact question. What _was_ Troy going to say. After lunch, Gabriella went back to the apartment with the dress in hand and put in in the closet. "Babe, you'll never believe who I ran in to today." Troy called from the entrance. Gabriella heard the door close as she walked out of the bedroom, approaching Troy. "Who?" she asked.

"Loraine. I invited her to the wedding." he replied.

Gabriella raised an eyebrow, "Oh you did? What did she say?"

"She said that she was going to think about it and let me know before then."

Gabriella nodded and gently bit her lip, looking down. If Troy told her about inviting Loraine, then she should tell him about inviting Ethan. "Well, I invited Ethan." she said.

"You did? How'd that go?"

"He said he'll think about it. I don't really believe that he'll go." Gabriella thought the conversation between she and Troy went by calmly, but she couldn't let it slide by that easily. When she went to work on Monday, she sat down at her desk and reviewed the guest list. No major changes were made to the list, except she saw that the name Loraine had been added to the list. It looked like it had only been added recently and without her permission too. She closed the folder and sighed, resting her head in her hand. "Why the long face Gabriella?" Josh asked, holding out a cup of coffee for Gabriella. "Oh, I got this just for you - the way you like it."

Gabriella thanked him as she took the cup from him, setting on her desk. "Just thinking about the wedding." she answered.

"Yeah, it's coming up soon. It's June 26th, right?" Gabriella nodded in reply to Josh's question as Alexa entered. "Sorry I'm late guys. LA traffic just sucks." Alexa said. Ethan appeared at the doorway shortly after, motioning to Gabriella. "I need to have a word with you." he said. Gabriella looked at her friends, getting up from her seat, and followed Ethan out the door. They entered his office as Ethan closed the door behind them. "I thought about your invitation and I would like to accept, but I hear Loraine is invited as well?"

"I had nothing to do with it. Troy invited her without my knowledge." Gabriella answered. Ethan slowly nodded, walking to the window that faced the street as he put his hands casually into his pockets. "I'll go to your wedding, but only on one condition." He faced her and pulled out a black velvet box, opening it to reveal a diamond necklace. "You must wear this since it matches perfectly with that diamond bracelet. I see that you still wear it." Gabriella looked down at her wrist, seeing the bracelet. She hardly even bothered to take it off. "May I ask why?"

Gabriella shook her head and said, "I don't know why. You just gave it to me as a gift and I accepted it."

"So accept this necklace as a gift from me to you. Let's just say it's an... early wedding present." he smiled. Gabriella looked at the box with the necklace and hesitated a moment before she accepted the necklace as a gift. "Let me put it on for you to see how it looks." Ethan took the necklace out of the box as Gabriella turned around and he latched the necklace around her neck. She turned around, facing him. Ethan smiled, "Perfect fit. Now, get to work." Gabriella nodded and then left the room. Before she entered the office, she placed her hand on the necklace and looked down at its diamond stones. No words had left her mouth when she accepted the necklace. She was stuck in a mere daze, but was confused as to why Ethan and Loraine had broken up. To her, their stories didn't really make any sense and she intended to find out the truth behind it all.


	12. The End

It was the morning of the wedding. Gabriella had made sure that everything was perfect and nothing was going to turn her wedding into a disaster. Gabriella had gotten ready at her dad's house in Los Angeles. "Oh honey, you look so beautiful." Marie smiled at her daughter. Gabriella smiled, hugging her mom while thanking her. Marie walked out of Gabriella's room to talk with some of her family downstairs. "Well we know that _someone's_ getting some tonight." Kelsi winked as Gabriella rolled her eyes, slightly shaking her head. She looked at herself in the mirror, making sure that there were no stray hairs. Gabriella was wearing a beautiful sweetheart strapless gown, silhouetting down to the floor which ended in a small train. She was wearing the diamond bracelet and the diamond necklace that were given by Ethan. Gabriella heard her name from being called downstairs and went downstairs. "Someone's waiting for you at the door." Andrew told her.

Gabriella walked towards the door, coming face to face with Ethan. "Ethan?" she asked, surprisingly. Ethan was dressed in a nice grey suit, black shirt, and grey tie. "Hey, wow, you look beautiful in that dress. I see you've decided to wear the necklace." he said. Gabriella looked down at the necklace, touching with her finger tips. She looked up at him and asked, "What are you doing here?" Ethan placed his hands into his pockets and shrugged. "I just wanted to see you one last time. You know, as Gabriella Montez." Gabriella noticed that his smile didn't fully reach his ears and that he was hiding something. She noticed how uneasy he looked standing before her with his hands in his pockets. She thought it was a habit of his, but he'd have a hand or both in his pockets when talking to her. She wanted to talk to him alone, but her friends were upstairs in her room and some of her family were in the living room. "Ethan, I'm always going to be Gabriella Montez but with a different last name." she smiled, hoping that it would reassure him.

Ethan smiled, "Well, I should be going." He began to walk, but she reached out as she caught his arm. He looked down at her hand placement and looked at her. Gabriella knew that it was wrong and what she was going to do next was wrong. She stepped out of the house to meet him halfway before leaning in and kissing him on the lips. It was the last single, unmarried decision that she was ever going to make. She wasn't sure if she was going to regret it in the long run, but she wanted to let Ethan know that she _did_ care for him. Ethan reached up with a hand, caressing her cheek while they kissed. They pulled away and looked into each other's eyes. "I know that we've gotten to know each other in the last year and I don't regret going out to dinner with you or lunch even. I just hope you find someone who cares for you just as much as I do." Gabriella said. "This isn't goodbye." Ethan nodded then leaned in and kissed her on the cheek, then turned as he walked out to his car. Gabriella watched as he got in his car and drove down the street.

. . .

Troy was getting ready at Chad's apartment. Ryan and Zeke were also there as well. "How do you feel?" Chad asked as Troy finished buttoning up the rest of his shirt and tucking into his pants. "Nervous." Troy said. He had never felt this nervous for anything, including a basketball game. "When you see Gabriella, all the nerves will go away." Zeke said. I hope so. Troy thought silently in his mind. A knock came at the door and the guys exchanged glances with each other. "I wonder who that could be." Chad said, then walked out of the room. Troy looked at himself in the mirror to make sure that he looked alright. He heard Chad call out his name from down the hall. He walked out of the room and walked down the hallway to see whoever was at the door. "Loraine?" Troy asked, surprised.

Loraine smiled, "Hey, just checking to see how you were doing." She was wearing a beautiful purple dress and some simple accessories to match. "I'm good, just nervous." Troy said. "Why are you here exactly?"

"I came to see you Troy and also, I've decided to move back to New York. Just being there once again made me wonder why I ever left that beautiful city." she answered.

"What about the company?"

"I'm leaving that decision to you on whether you want to run it or not."

"Me? Run _your_ company?"

"Only the one here in Los Angeles. I just figured that you're the right person for the job. Your co-workers, Chris and Daniel, well, I can't say much about them." Troy couldn't believe what he was hearing. Was Loraine really moving to New York? Was he ever going to see her again? After all, the two of them were friends. "Will I see you again?" he asked.

Loraine pulled Troy into a hug and said, "I'll visit when I can Troy." She pulled away and looked into his eyes. "As much as I hate saying goodbye, I really don't want to leave."

"Then stay a while." Troy said. Loraine shook her head and smiled, "I have no reason to stay."

"You do have a reason Loraine."

"Don't be silly Troy. There's no one of interest here, not since breaking up with Ethan." Troy knew that their time had to be cut short because the wedding was starting in an hour. "I'll see you again." Loraine added with a soft smile, then turned as she headed towards her car. Troy was going to regret this, but he knew it was going to be the last thing he'd ever do as a bachelor. He followed out the door after Loraine as he grabbed her arm. As soon as she turned to face him, he pressed his lips to hers. He felt Loraine melt when the two kissed. When he pulled away, he looked into her eyes as he softly caressed her cheek. "I'm going to miss you." Troy said. Loraine smiled as she leaned in and kissed Troy's cheek. She turned and walked to her car, then got in. Troy watched her drive away, still hoping that one day he would see his friend again.

. . .

The reception was held at one of the hotels in Los Angeles. Troy and Gabriella were now officially married. Though, the both of them had one thing on their mind. Ethan and Loraine - their friends. "So, she decided on moving back to New York?" Gabriella asked Troy while they danced together on the dance floor. Troy nodded and sighed, "Yeah. What about Ethan?"

"I guess he's staying here in Los Angeles. Though, he saw me earlier today." Gabriella answered.

"He saw you?"

"Yeah, we just talked really but before he left, he told me that it wasn't goodbye. What does he mean by that?"

"Maybe you'll see him again?" Troy hoped that wasn't going to be true. He didn't want Ethan and Gabriella to even be around each other, only at work. "I know how you feel about him Troy. Ethan's only a friend and he doesn't want anything more from me." she told him.

"Clearly your necklace makes a statement that he still cares for you." Gabriella knew Troy noticed the jewelry Ethan had given her. She rolled her eyes and slightly shook her head. "Well, I care about him too. He's just a friend and was only trying to make a polite gesture."

"He knew you had me as a boyfriend."

Before their argument progressed even further, Troy saw Loraine enter through the ballroom doors. His eyes met with hers and immediately, Loraine walked over. "Gabriella, your dress is absolutely gorgeous." she gushed. Gabriella thanked Loraine and then walked off to talk with Taylor. "What are you doing here?" Troy asked Loraine once Gabriella had left.

"Tonight is my last night here and I might as well spend it with you." she answered. Troy smiled as the two of them began to dance together. Gabriella was watching Troy and Loraine, seeing them smile and laugh. "I know what that feeling's like." A voice came up behind her as she turned around to meet with a pair of blue eyes. Ethan. A smile spread across her face as she pulled Ethan into a warm hug. "Ethan, I didn't think you'd make it." she said, then pulled away. Ethan smiled and shrugged as he placed his hands into his pockets. "I might as well come and see you." he said. "I don't think I can wait until the week after you come back from your honeymoon. Why is Loraine here?"

Gabriella silently hoped that Ethan wouldn't notice Loraine, but she figured that he'd eventually find out. She shrugged, "She came for Troy."

"Your husband? Shouldn't you and Troy be dancing or talking?"

"Yeah, but I figured that I should let the two talk."

"What exactly are they talking about?"

"I don't really know, but I do know that Loraine's moving to New York."

"She is?" Ethan was suddenly interested. He had only known Loraine for the short time they had dated the previous year. He could still picture the time the two spent together before they broke up. Gabriella could see that it was clear Ethan wasn't fully over Loraine. "You care about her, don't you?" she asked him. Ethan looked at Gabriella and was about to deny his feelings for Loraine, but Troy and Loraine approached them. "Ethan, what a surprise to see you here." Loraine said.

"Same goes for you Loraine." Ethan said. "Can I have a word with you?" Loraine nodded and the two of them walked out of the ballroom to talk. "At least now we can finally be alone." Troy smiled.

"Not yet Mr. Bolton." Gabriella smirked. Troy was a bit confused as Gabriella rolled her eyes, then pulled him out onto the dance floor. What Troy didn't know was that Gabriella had something planned for him later that night. Gabriella had never been so happy in her life. She had married the love of her life, even though there were the times when they had been split apart due to differences or people. "I love you Troy." she smiled, looking into his bright blue eyes.

"I love you Gabriella." Troy leaned in and gave Gabriella a kiss on the lips. If he could re-live any moment, it would be the day he had met Gabriella. If it weren't for the fact that she stood out above other girls, he wouldn't have chased after her. He would've married someone like Loraine, or maybe even Sharpay. He shuddered at the thought of marrying Sharpay. He was happy that of all the rough times they've been through, Gabriella was always there. Without her, he would still be a player.

The End.


End file.
